Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in his exclusive interview with The Sun
The Sun

Thomas Markle has included Princess Diana in his fight for daughter Meghan. The retired lighting director continued his media pilgrimage in a bid to get the British Royal family to listen to him, this time trying to guilt Prince Harry by saying his late mother wouldn’t have turned her back on him.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas claimed that he has been dubbed “persona non grata” by the royals after he revealed to the public private his private phone conversations with Meghan and Harry and insulted the royal family in his paid interviews. He has been trying to reach out to the couple since, but it appears Meghan has cut off all their communications. He said he was “really hurt” that after he spoke “a few critical words” about the royals changing her, the phone number he had for her personal aides at the Palace were cut off completely.

“Those number were disconnected, they no longer work. I have no ways of contacting my daughter,” he claimed.

Like his son, Thomas Markle Jr, Thomas Sr also brought Diana in his fight for Meghan’s attention. He told the Mail that if Diana, Princess of Wales, were still alive, she would have “loathed” the way Meghan’s new family has shunned him out.

FILE PHOTO - Britain's Princess Diana holds Prince Harry during a morning picture session at Marivent Palace, where the Prince and Princess of Wales are holidaying as guests of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, in Mallorca, Spain August 9, 1988. Reuters/Hugh Peralta/File Photo

“The [the Royal Family] have Meghan treating her father in a way that Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, would have loathed. That’s not what Diana stood for,” he said. “Princess Diana is credited with changing the Royal Family, but she wasn’t perfect. She was still very much one of them. I think Meghan’s the one who’ll bring them into the 21st century, if they’ll let her.”

Thomas was aware that he Harry, who always speaks lovingly of Diana, wouldn’t like that he had involved his mother. “I don’t care if Harry never speaks to me again, I’ll survive.”

As for Queen Elizabeth, Thomas was still bitter that Her Majesty had welcomed US President Donald Trump in her home, but she couldn’t even be bothered to meet him. He questioned why the Queen would want to meet Trump, but he backtracked a little, saying she has done a “tremendous job maintaining the dignity of the Royal Family in difficult times.”

But again, Thomas added, “Who cares these days about a dusty old crown?”

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as they watch a fly past to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. Reuters/Chris Radburn

He also blamed Meghan for her older half-sister’s outbursts. Samantha Grant has been critiquing Meghan since the Duchess of Sussex’s relationship with Harry was made public. In one of her latest tirades, she called Meghan the “Duchess of Nonsense” and said Harry was a “wuss” for allowing Meghan to ignore them. “If our father dies, I’m holding you responsible, Meg!” Grant said.

“Meghan could have won Samantha over with just a few kind words and Samantha would have praised Meghan for all her days,” Thomas said in defence of his older daughter. “Instead, Meghan turned her back on Samantha and now Samantha won’t stop talking negatively about Meghan.”

Meghan and Samantha have said to be estranged for years before Harry was even involved in her life.

On his former wife and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, the only one who attended the royal wedding in May, Thomas also didn’t have a high opinion of her. He said Meghan inherited her attitude from the social worker.

Meghan Markle with her mother Doria Ragland departs for her wedding to Britain's Prince Harry, in Taplow, Britain, May 19, 2018. Reuters/Darren Staples

“Meghan got her attitude from her mother,” he said. “Doria always told Meghan, ‘If they’re not doing anything for you, why should you do anything for them?’”

He added, “I like to think that a little kindness goes a long way. I life to give people the benefit of the doubt. A kind word goes a long way. Meghan’s been an actress for long enough: She’s had to deal with fans, to know that treating them with kindness is best.”

Thomas said he refused to stay quiet about his daughter. Meghan’s “sense of superiority” was his biggest beef with her, he said, because “she’d be nothing without me.”